Knowing For Sure
by CarryOnMyWaywardTimelord
Summary: I do not own Merlin. (Though that would be pretty Epic.) This is a Merthur Fanfic. I did add my own character:A serving Girl who has Magic like Merlin, though not as strong, and she has no "Destiny". She just has it. This is my first Fanfic on this sight, So comments on Writing Technique would be appreciated.


The serving girl walked slowly down the hall, done with her chores and ready to take a well needed break. She knew she had other chores to finish, like mending dresses and buying supplies, but she decided to do it later.

She stopped at one of the many windows lining the hall and looked out at the village. There was the normal bustle of the day happening down in the streets below: Vendors, people working, children running around. Scanning the store fronts, she caught sight of some children, two boys, throwing something around. After a moment, she realized it was a bag. And that a little boy was frantically running between the other two, trying to reach the bag. She watched this for a second, then focused on the bag itself. Her eyes flashed a shade of Silver...and the bag dropped to the ground mid throw.

The little boy ran and grabbed it. He looked down at the bag, then up at the two older boys, and ran off.

The two boys ran after him in an attempt get the bag again, but soon found themselves tripping over some "inconveniently" placed apple crates.

Smirking, the Serving girl continued on her way. It wasn't until a few moments later that she realized she had gone In the wrong direction. For now she was by the Princes door.

Confused, she turned and went down the hallway a little, then walked back. She realized she must have made a left one corridor soon, and hadn't noticed. Shrugging, she kept walking, deciding to continue on. She was a few yards beyond the door when it suddenly opened, then slammed. There was the sound of running feet. The Girl stumbled back against the wall a little in an effort not to be hit, for the person running was coming in her direction.

To her surprise, the Prince shot passed her... though it was the look on his face that surprised her the most: He was in tears.

Greatly confused and a little concerned, she nearly heard the door open again. But she heard it close. Turning around she caught sight of a servant running away from the room. It wasn't until she saw the tell-tale kerchief around his neck did she realize it was Merlin. Curious, and more concerned now than before, she ran after him.

She followed Him as close as she could without being noticed. He ran for a while, blindly turning corners and running down stairs. And he didn't stop until he had reached the dungeons.

Turning around, Merlin leaned against the wall and slid down it. He pulled his legs up close to him, curling into fetal position. He wrapped his arm around his legs and put his head between his knees... and cried.

The serving girl was a little startled at his sudden outbreak of tears, though mostly, she wanted to be sure he was okay...which, obviously, he wasn't.

The girl didn't know Merlin very well, there only acknowledgement being a small nod or a smile when they crossed paths. She didn't even know if he knew her name.

She quietly walked over and knelt next to him. She lightly placed her hand on his shoulder, and she felt him tense.

"Merlin?... Are you... are you okay?

_Merlin enters his Masters chambers, holding a tray containing breakfast. Arthur is still asleep, sheets tangled at his feet, head resting on the edge of the pillow. Merlin smiles a little; the scene does look very comical. _

_ Merlin places the tray on the table and goes over to the window, throwing the curtain open. "Good morning, sire."_

_Arthur awakes as be normally does upon hearing these words. Sighing, he groans, roles over, and sits up. Merlin notices that there is a light sheen of sweat on Arthur's chest and along his brow. Arthur swings his legs over the edge of the bed and gets up, stretching. Merlin catches himself looking at Arthur's and quickly looks away, blushing. _

_ Arthur goes over to the table with his breakfast and sits down. He looks up at Merlin, smirking. "So. You've brought my breakfast up on time, for a change." Rather than return the taunt as he usually did, Merlin simply nods. Arthur looks back at his food, flicks his eyes up at Merlin again, and starts to eat. Merlin catches himself watching Arthur as he is eating: the way his jaw moves when he chews, how his eyes shut a little when he drinks..._

_"Get him out if your head" Merlin thought to himself. "Get him out of your head._

_Merlin can't seem to figure out why he's suddenly... looking at Arthur. Yesterday had been the same... in fact, he had watched Arthur like this for a while. Usually, he would ignore the thoughts, Arthur's taunts, and going about his day normally. But suddenly... now he couldn't ignore the thoughts._

_ Arthur finishes his food, then looks up at Merlin, eyebrows raised, waiting for him to take his tray. He watches Merlin's face as he gathers up the food and silverware, the way his eyebrows scrunch together a little in concentration, as if he feels he'll mess up._

_Arthur's eyes travel from Merlin's brows to his jaw line, gliding up to his cheekbones, and to his eyes. Merlin glances over at Arthur and sees him watching him, and quickly glances away, blushing. Arthur looks down and feels the red spread in his cheeks. _

_Merlin reaches over for the goblet to place on the tray, and hits the rim with his wrist. The goblet topples, the liquid still left in it sloshing around. Arthur is about to stand up so none of the drink spill on him when suddenly Merlin catches it._

_Arthur blinks, not sure what he had seen._

_Merlin places the goblet on the tray and goes to leave. He's halfway across the room when Arthur calls him._

_"Merlin."_

_Merlin turns and looks back._

_"Yes, Sire?"_

_"How did you do that."_

_"Do what, Sire?"_

_"You know exactly what I'm talking about."_

_Arthur rises and comes toward Merlin, who flinches but doesn't move._

_"I...I don't know what you mean, Sire."_

_"The cup. How did you catch the cup."_

_Merlin's heartbeat suddenly quickens, he feels his pulse racing in fear. Had Arthur caught him? Had he shown his Magic?_

_"I...I... caught it, Sire. That is... all that happened."_

_"You caught it without it hitting the floor? Without spilling a drop? How did you catch it? Tell me!"_

_Merlin takes a step back, startled and thoroughly scared. He'd been caught. And he could see no way out._

_He carefully sets the tray down on the desk, then looks up._

_"Arthur...I... need to show you something."_

_Merlin takes a step back and looks around the room. He focuses on a vase near by, and his eyes flash Gold. The vase rises and is moved across the room and set down. Closing his eyes, he turns his face toward Arthur and opens them. Arthur's face is expressionless. Wincing, Merlin averts his gaze, then speaks again._

_"I've... I've been able to do that since birth...I was born with it...um." Merlin stops, unable to continue. Arthur continues to stare at him, then speaks in a half whisper._

_"Why did you never tell me?"_

_Merlin is surprised by the question; he had fully anticipated Arthur to be mad at him._

_"I...I thought... you'd be mad at me... and that Id be..."_

_Merlin doesn't finish, and he doesn't need to. Arthur winced internally, hurt by the statement. He feels sad, knowing that Merlin sees him as someone who wouldn't think twice to throwing him in the dungeons._

_"Arthur... I'm sorry-"_

_"Don't apologize."_

_Arthur steps closer to Merlin. Merlin tries to step back, bit Arthur grabs his arm._

_"Just don't apologize."_

_Arthur lifts Merlin's head with his finger, looking into his eyes. Arthur leans forward, and soon their foreheads are touching. Merlin doesn't move, he doesn't even blink. And then Arthur's lips brush softly against his, and then he presses forward, and their lips are locked. And what happens in the next 6 seconds is both sweet and bitter._

_The first two seconds: Merlin is too surprised to react to anything, his mind is blank and hollow._

_The next two seconds: Merlin leans into Arthur a little, returning the kiss._

_The last two seconds: Merlin's mind is filled with alarm and he pushes Arthur away._

_Arthur steps back a little, and Merlin steps away, looking almost fearful._

_"I'm sorry...I...I don't-I-You and I...It won't-"_

_Arthur simply nods. That's all he can do at the moment. And then he feels tears prick the corners of his eyes, and he feels them leak down, threatening to land on his cheeks, and he runs. He runs past Merlin and out of the room and down the hall and out of the castle and he runs into the woods and all he can think, all that can properly run through his mind is I messed up. I messed up._

Merlin looks up to face the serving girl. What did she just ask? And he remembers-are you okay?

And he shakes his head no.

"What's...what's wrong? Can you tell me?"

Merlin stares at the girl, whose eyes are filled with concern and sympathy, if not a little curiosity. And he responds.

"I..."

His voice comes out as a croak.

"I...messed up."

"How?... If I may be so bold in...asking."

Merlin looks away. He's not sure how to answer her then he decides...to show her.

Because he doesn't care anymore.

Not anymore.

Merlin glances around the room, and focuses his eyes on a bucket nearby.

"Watch."

His eyes flash, the bucket lifts into the air and comes to a rest beside the girl.

The girls eyes widen.

"You have Magic!"

Merlin nods miserably.

And what the girl says next is something Merlin isn't expecting, something the Girl thought should would never say.

"I...I do, to."

She focuses on the bucket next to her, her eyes flash Silver, and it rises, and is put back in its original place. She looks over at Merlin and speaks quickly.

"I was born with it. No one knew about it, no one knew why i had it. Even I don't know. I just...have it. I've never done anything wrong m I swear..."

Merlin simply nods.

"I was born with it too... but I have a...a destiny..."

The girl nods a little. Merlin places his head back between his knees and speaks, muffled.

"I showed Arthur my Magic... I thought he would be mad...and he came up to me...and he kissed me...and I pushed him away..."

Merlin feels the tears start up again. He tries not to cry,tries to stop the tears from falling. It makes him feel helpless. But they fall anyway.

The girl leans back and stares at Merlin.

"The Prince...kissed you?"

All Merlin can do is nod.

"So he loves you."

The statement startles Merlin, and he looks up.

Loves me... Merlin thinks. The Girl speaks again.

"Do you love him?"

Again, Merlin is startled. Does he... Like...Love... The _Prince?_

And Merlin finds himself mumbling "Yes..."

And it feels okay. To say yes to that.

"We have to go find him."

Merlin blinks.

"Find him?"

"Yes. You need to find Arthur. I saw Run down the hall toward the exit."

"The woods..." Merlin mumbles.

"What?"

"The woods. That's where Arthur goes when he's upset. The woods."

The girl nods.

"Then are you going to find him?"

Merlin jerks his head up in alarm at this question.

"No. I mean Yes! I mean... he might not... want to see me. He...I don't want to...hurt him or anger him anymore than I already have."

"The I'll get him."

Merlin tilts his head.

"You will?"

"Sure. I can probably get him to come back. He doesn't know me very well. I don't think I'll anger him."

"I...I... thank you. Thank you."

The girl rises and goes to leave.

"Wait."

She turns.

"I don't know... what is your name?"

"Claren."

"I...Thank you, Claren.

She nods and leaves Merlin alone.

Merlin sighs heavily and places his head between his knees.

Claren walks out of the castle and toward the woods. She has no idea which way Arthur would have gone. Scanning the edge, she soon finds an area of newly broken branches and underbrush. It looks like someone had ran through them. Following this half-made path, she soon reaches a path, and continues on. After five minutes of walking, she reaches a small clearing...and sees Arthur. He is leaning against a tree, in much the same position as Merlin was when she had found him. She calls out softly

"My...my Lord?

He doesn't react.

"I was...sent to fetch you."

Again, no reaction.

"Merlin sent me."

This time Arthur looks up.

"He what?"

"He sent me out to...look for you. He...didn't want to do it himself because...he was afraid that he would... hurt you more."

Claren shifts uncomfortably.

"He told me...what happened."

_Arthur_ puts his head back between his knees.

"He told me about...his...his Magic."

Arthur looks up again.

"He told you?"

"Yes. And... I should probably show you something..."

Claren focused on a broken branch nearby and lifts it up, moving it across the clearing. She looks back at Arthur, and begins speaking quickly

"I don't know how I got it. I was born with it. All I can do is lift things and move them. I swear I have done nothing wrong with magic, I swear-"

"Its okay."

Claren stops short.

"I believe you. You don't seem like someone who would... do any wrong."

Claren nods slightly, still scared.

"I tried to ask Gaius if he could get rid of it, but...there's no way. Its permanent."

Arthur nods a little. He seems dazed.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. Don't be sorry. I'm not going to tell my father."

Claren nods, and inside she is almost crying in relief. For though she never thought on the subject, she had always been afraid. Afraid that someone would catch her. And that she would be taken away. And now... now the_ Prince_ knew about it, and he had not called the guards, not yelled for help. He Even told her he would not tell the King. She will not be taken away, or executed, or banned from Camelot. She would be fine.

Then she remembers Merlin, probably still sitting in the dungeon, and her relief is replaced with sadness.

"Sire...Merlin also told me...what happened...next."

Arthur stares at her with the oddest expression, His Eyes blank and Unfocused.

"He told me how... how you approached him...and how he reacted..."

She watches Arthur's face. And she sees a tear appear in the corner of his eye. And it starts to trail down his cheek. She looks away.

"He also told me... that... he-"

She stops, unsure of how to continue.

"He told you what." Arthur asks in a hoarse whisper.

Claren replies quietly.

"That he loves you."

Arthur stares at her, his eyes focusing. On the outside his face is expressionless. On the inside, its utter turmoil.

And all he can think is Merlin loved him.

"Sire..."

Arthurs eyes go back out of focus, and he stares at the ground by his feet.

"We should...go back."

Arthur nods. He rises, but he's not looking, not focusing, not paying attention. Not to anything. Claren carefully approaches him. Slowly, as if afraid he might react,she places her hand on his upper arm and leads him forward. He let's himself be lead. They walk slowly back, along the path, into Camelot, and back inside. Nothing seems amiss. No one knew he had been gone. Claren withdraws her hand from his arm. Stepping forward, she starts to lead the way to where Merlin is.

"Wait."

Claren turns back to Arthur.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Let me... go back to my chambers. And ask him to come up. And...give him a choice. To whether he wants to come up."

Claren nods, and as she goes off to retrieve Merlin, Arthur goes back to his chamber. He stands by the desk, waiting.

A few minutes later there is a light tap at the door.

"Enter."

Merlin steps in, shutting the door behind him. He stares at Arthur, noticing his now slightly puffy eyes and messy blonde hair. Arthur also stares at Merlin, noticing how there is still the streak of a tear on his cheek. They stand there a second, a minute, a lifetime, simply staring. Merlin opens his mouth to speak, but Arthur puts a finger to his lips and steps toward Merlin, closing the gap between them. Arthur carefully cups Merlin's cheek in his hand, running his thumb along his brow and down his jaw line, and wipes away the tear streak. His other hand comes up and cups the back of Merlin's head, and he runs his fingers through his raven-black hair.

Merlin places a hand on Arthur's cheek, and he brushes his fingers lightly over his skin, trailing from his cheek down to his neck, then up into his hair. His other hand rests on Arthur's shoulder.

Arthur leans forward, and their foreheads touch. Merlin leans forward a little more, and their lips brush lightly together.

Then Arthur leans in and their lips lock. Merlin's hand slides down from Arthur's shoulder and wrap around his body, bringing him closer. Arthur runs his fingers through Merlin's hair, his other hand lightly stroking his cheek. Merlin opens his mouth slightly, and the kiss deepens.

When they finally break away, they still keep their foreheads touching. Merlin brings his hand up to Arthur's face, holding it for just a second. Then he wraps his arms around him and embraces him tightly. Arthur returns the hug, and they hold on to each other like they never want to let go.


End file.
